Supreme Court will hear appeal of Quebec money laundering case quashed over delays

OTTAWA — The Supreme Court of Canada will hear an appeal in a case where the conviction of four people accused of money laundering on behalf of the Hells Angels was quashed over unreasonable legal delays.

The high court said today it will hear the appeal brought by Quebec’s Crown against four co-accused, including three members of the same family.

Mélanie, Michel et Dax Ste-Marie and a fourth person, Richard Felx, were found guilty in 2016 of conspiring to launder the proceeds of crime, money laundering and of committing an offence for the benefit of a criminal organization.

The Quebec court found there had been unreasonable delays but refused to order a stay of proceedings, a decision overturned last September by the Quebec Court of Appeal, which ordered a stay.

In July 2016, the Supreme Court issued what is known as the Jordan ruling, establishing strict time limits for legal proceedings. 

The trial of the four co-accused was heard before the Jordan ruling was rendered. Charges were laid in 2009 and the trial judge calculated that the trial concluded in March 2016 — a 77-month delay.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2021.

The Canadian Press